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The State of the Evangelical Mind Conference Videos

In September 2017, evangelical scholars gathered at the Sagamore Institute in Indianapolis to discuss the state of the evangelical mind today. The plenary papers are now available in the book "The State of the Evangelical Mind," published by InterVarsity Press and edited by the conference organizers, Todd C. Ream, Jerry Pattengale, and Christopher J. Devers. Papers from parallel sessions have been published in a special issue of "Christian Scholar’s Review" (Summer 2018). The conference was hosted by Indiana Wesleyan University, the Sagamore Institute, Excelsia College, and Christianity Today.

Join the ongoing conversation by watching all the talks and Q&A sessions below. The presenters address recent historical developments and the roles of four types of institutions: churches, parachurch organizations, colleges and universities, and seminaries.

  1. Colleges and Universities: Questions & Answers

    Rick Ostrander, David M. Johnstone, Jack R. Baker, and Jeffrey Bilbro take questions about their talks on the university.

  2. Contemplative Posture and Christ-Adapted Eyes: Teaching and Thinking in Christian Seminaries, by Lauren F. Winner

    Lauren F. Winner highlights some of the habits of mind that ought to flourish in seminaries, as well as practices that seminaries can cultivate for the good of the churches where their graduates will work. Winner, associate professor of Christian spirituality at Duke University Divinity School, considers faculty research, equipping students with proficiency in Christian doctrine, and teaching people to see the world Christianly.

  3. Commending the Gospel: Evangelical Seminaries and Our “Letters of Recommendation,” by Grant D. Taylor

    As the social context changes dramatically in the West, evangelical seminaries should play a key role in deciding what it means for evangelicals to be the church today. Grant D. Taylor, associate dean for academic affairs at Beeson Divinity School, addresses the methods and goals of theological education by drawing from Paul’s paradigm for ministry in 2 Corinthians 2:14–3:3.

  4. The Impact of Thinking Fast and Slow on the Evangelical Mind, by Erin E. Devers

    How do we learn to think well? Erin E. Devers, associate professor of psychology at Indiana Wesleyan University, considers common hurdles to deliberate thinking and practices to overcome them. She also applies insights from social psychology in suggesting practical approaches for seminary professors to help students cultivate better habits of mind.

  5. Remembering Our Racial Past: Using Institutional Lament to Shape Affections, by Karen J. Johnson

    Karen J. Johnson, assistant professor of history at Wheaton College, sees among her students a troubling lack of knowledge about the history of relations between the Christian church and race in America. Johnson presents a model for shaping seminary students to think Christianly about racial histories and to engage these issues in the present through the disciplines of love and lament.

  6. Seminaries: Questions & Answers

    Karen J. Johnson, Erin E. Devers, and Grant D. Taylor take questions about their talks.